Fairness and Freedom

Some words from one of my favorite Presidents, Harry S.:

In this society, we are conservative about the values and principles which we cherish; but we are forward-looking in protecting those values and principles and in extending their benefits. We have rejected the discredited theory that the fortunes of the Nation should be in the hands of a privileged few. We have abandoned the "trickledown" concept of national prosperity. Instead, we believe that our economic system should rest on a democratic foundation and that wealth should be created for the benefit of all.

...

The American people have decided that poverty is just as wasteful and just as unnecessary as preventable disease. We have pledged our common resources to help one another in the hazards and struggles of individual life. We believe that no unfair prejudice or artificial distinction should bar any citizen of the United States of America from an education, or from good health, or from a job that he is capable of performing.

The attainment of this kind of society demands the best efforts of every citizen in every walk of life, and it imposes increasing responsibilities on the Government.

The Government must work with industry, labor, and the farmers in keeping our economy running at full speed. The Government must see that every American has a chance to obtain his fair share of our increasing abundance. These responsibilities go hand in hand.

We cannot maintain prosperity unless we have a fair distribution of opportunity and a widespread consumption of the products of our factories and farms.

Our Government has undertaken to meet these responsibilities.

 ...

The strength of our Nation must continue to be used in the interest of all our people rather than a privileged few. It must continue to be used unselfishly in the struggle for world peace and the betterment of mankind the world over.

This is the task before us.

It is not an easy one. It has many complications, and there will be strong opposition from selfish interests.

I hope for cooperation from farmers, from labor, and from business. Every segment of our population and every individual has a right to expect from our Government a fair deal.

 end-of-quote

In addition to fairness, we can add the principle of freedom. Someone who can't afford to see a doctor when they are sick is not free. Someone who works hard but can't get a living wage is not free. Someone who can't get a good standard education is not free. Someone who can''t purchase goods and services because of their religion or sexual orientation is not free. Someone who can't have a job for which they are qualified for those same reasons is not free. Someone who has to fear for their life in a routine traffic stop because of the color of their skin is not free.


Democrats can put out a better message than they have recently.

Effective Gun Control Via Liability Insurance

We don't really need gun control as much as laws that require gun owners and gun bearors
to demonstrate that they have financial coverage for the damages that can occur from the operation of said devices...like we do with other dangerous devices like automobiles and aircraft.


You can have all the guns you want and carry them where you want as long as the public is protected in your insurance policy.

This Is Our Battlefield

Jamelle Bouie writes:

Republicans can mobilize supporters without being forced to talk about or account for their actual actions. Identity, for many voters, matters more than their pocketbooks. Republicans simply need to signal their disdain—even hatred—for their opponents, political or otherwise. Why worry about the consequences of your policies when you can preclude defeat by changing the ground rules of elections, spending vast sums, and stoking cultural resentment?

Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook's Mission

Mark Zuckerberg explains why he just changed Facebook's mission.

The company has a new mission statement: "To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together."

Trucks and Solar Power-produced Hydrogen

Future trucks fueled by hydrogen created with solar power: Exhaust? Pure water vapor www.sciencedaily.com Heavy-duty trucks will soon be driving around in Trondheim, Norway, fueled by hydrogen created with solar power, and emitting only pure water vapor as "exhaust". Not only will hydrogen technology revolutionize road transport, it will also enable ships and trains to run emission-free.

Learning from Ossoff

Here is Tom Sullivan's take on the Ossoff results.


The key takeaway for me is this:

Few county organizations have built up the institutional memory and skills for running effective get-out-the-vote programs year to year, mid-term to presidential to municipal. Activists age out of high-intensity campaign work and take what they've learned (if anything) with them. Many smaller counties rely on national coordinated campaigns to parachute in every four years (if they do) to tell them what to do when the ambitious twenty-something staffers don't know themselves.

Another 2016 Election Analysis

Some prevailing myths are exploded.

The party isn't really divided by economics issues. Sanders supporters are not as progressive as Clinton on many of them.

The richest members of both parties have more economically conservative and socially liberal views than the poorest members. That gives them disproportionate influence over their agendas and priorities. But rich and poor Democrats have much more in common than either group does with Republicans.

Libertarians (socially liberal, economically conservative) are small in number despite all the noise they make and traction they get with the media.

Economics was irrelevant to the election. Clinton lost voters who had supported Obama around social-identity questions, revolving around patriotism and identity.

Natural gas without CO2 release

A special combustion method would allow us to burn natural gas without emitting CO2. It does this isolating the CO2 during the combustion process thereby easily capturing it for non-atmospheric disposal.

Amendment 25, section 4

When looked at over decades, it becomes clear that the President suffers from some sort of mental decline. Democrats may want to keep him around to hamstring the Republican agenda. Republicans could be the authors of his demise just to protect themselves.

Renewable fuel from atmospheric CO2

A demonsration plant in Finland produces fuel from the CO2 in the air using solar power.

Sustainable Plastics

Biodegradable plastics can be made at room temperatures and lo pressure from sugars and CO2.

Distributed, Renewable Ammonia production

The standard method of ammonia synthesis is conducted at 200 atmospheres of pressure and high reaction temperatures of nearly 500°C. This requires large, centralized production facilities. A new method can produce ammonia on demand in distributed locations.